tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68639565279865011402024-03-05T10:37:06.683+00:00Stupidgirl45........................ STUPIDGIRL45: WRITING - PARENTING - WHINGING ...........................stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/13627779734043267597noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-70159700796599578592016-04-15T21:33:00.001+01:002016-04-15T21:33:41.416+01:00Diamonds and Dysons - My Happiness Non Negotiables<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">When I was <a href="https://sirenofbrixton.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/my-happiness-non-negotiables/">tasked to write about my happiness non-negotiables</a>, I thought it would be easy, but I ended up thinking more about `why` certain things made me happy - what they did that made me actually "happy" and content - why they had the innate power to do so.</span></div>
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I'm not sure what I, as someone with intermittent depression and panic disorder, even mean by happiness. Even at my most depressed, I have experienced happiness or joy. If material objects make us happy, does that mean someone with "nothing" (eg latest gadget, expensive handbag, gig tickets) is not happy. Is happiness a state of being - does it mean being "not-sad" or does it mean "content"? </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">If it means the opposite of sad - "not-sad"- does that mean that rather than being elated with our life it more about being "satisfied" or content with our lot in life - whether that be a 40 bedroom mansion or mud hut? It's often said that money can't buy happiness, but it certainly makes life much easier and can reduce worries leaving a person "not sad". </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I guess, for this post, I went with what keeps me on an even keel and helps me enjoy the good things in my life. whether I'm simply content, or euphoric at times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Let's assume that we know that the basics are covered - food/water, shelter/safety, good health. Those are standard requirements and in any context or time in my life, have not caused me worry - thus creating a feeling of "not sad". Ditto with books, music, good relationships and good food/wine - things that nourish the soul, regardless of how much they change within my lifetime - the books that make me happy as an adult, would not have made me happy aged 5. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">So then, what are my happiness non negotiables and what have they got to do with vacuums and jewellery. They break down into 3 main areas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><b>People</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">My husband, my children, my friends and family, acquaintances, colleagues, random chatty people, kind bus drivers, nice check out assistants....the list goes on. But what it boils down to is love, kindness and respect. These qualities help keep me focused and centered, to stay calm when my mental health is causing chaos. . Things were pretty shit last year, when I was pregnant. I was the most mentally ill i've been. Walking along the edge of an abyss in your head is very lonely. The support I had from friends and family was an invisible hand holding mine in my darkest hours to bring me back from the edge. People make me happy. I don't want to be alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Activities</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I love doing chores. I do. I might not want to do them all the time and there are other things I prefer, but small chores, cooking, folding laundry makes me happy for two reasons. It gives me a sense of purpose and achievement - which at any age in life is important, as anyone who allows a small child to help out will know (their little chests puff up with self importance when they press the washing machine button, lay the table, grease a cake pan). Completing chores increases my sense of self worth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I also love chores for their mindlessness - leaving me free to plan out much more exciting things in my head. Folding laundry or washing up - repetitive tasks - put me into a meditative state. It's often when I plan out blogposts or flesh out ideas for fiction projects. I allow myself to brainstorm ideas for characters, plot points, locations. I return to these thoughts over and over again before committing words to paper. I do this with work projects also - and if I'm having a problem it helps me turn it over in my head, figure out a solution. Mindlessness make me happy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Phone, laptop - they make me happy by enabling me to stay in touch with people, to connect when I'm lost and lonely. They help me create, to pin down memories and write. Which keeps me sane, no matter how long it's been (as you can tell from the rustiness of this post). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">TV, iPod - to immerse myself in sounds and images, I couldn't be without music and movies. And the latest on Made In Chelsea (!). There's a whole world out there, on our screens and we can explore it in so many ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Dyson/Slow Cooker/Nutribullet. Yes, I love a good kitchen gadget - they keep me and my family healthy and they save me time. I feel good knowing I'm eating well and enjoying the process of cooking and creating in itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">It may be materialistic to derive happiness and satisfaction from these items - they're not cheap and it's a luxury to own most of them - but they help me stay happy. It's nice to be in touch with people, to create things and to stay healthy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Having written all this, I now realise I've pretty much come up with...Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs all by myself...oops!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I guess my main happiness non negotiable is balance - in all things, health, relationships, activities - so that I can appreciate everything for what it is and not get stuck inside my own head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">PS. I forgot diamonds didn't I.....well I do love my engagement ring. It's pretty and it makes me feel loved. Sometimes it's just as simple as that.</span></div>
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-28837551061814214452015-05-28T20:43:00.000+01:002015-05-28T20:43:16.570+01:00Emotions In Pregnancy - Interview no.2: Run, Jump, Scrap Blog.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Continuing in my weekly interview series - `Emotions in Pregnancy` - tonight's interviewee is Sarah, who blogs at <a href="http://www.runjumpscrap.com/">Run, Jump, Scrap!</a> here's her story..... If you've not been following the series, you can read last week's interview <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/emotions-in-pregnancy-interview-no1.html">here </a>and check out <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/emotions-in-pregnancy-new-interview.html">this post</a> to find out the reasons behind the series.<br /><br /><b>Bio</b><br /><br />Hi my name is Sarah and I blog over at Run Jump Scrap! I’m predominantly a Mummy blogger but I also blog about fitness and showcase some of my scrapbook projects. I am married to Chris, Mummy to my little gremlin and work as a dietitian.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><b>1. How did you feel when you found out you were pregnant?</b><br /><br />Relieved and elated. I was one of those people who had been on the pill for 10 years and convinced I would not be able to get pregnant. I had lived and breathed “trying for a baby” for 3 months, which is no time at all when I look back. It’s just that silly fear. Didn’t help my hormones must have been trying to settle down after stopping the pill. I didn’t want to tell anyone when I fell pregnant, apart from close family, until 12 weeks. Then it was closer friends and I didn’t tell the social media world until I was 21 weeks after the 20 week scan. I was worried about tempting fate and something would go wrong.<br /><br /><b>2. How did your mood vary over the course of the pregnancy and did it vary by trimester or milestones? How did you feel about buying things for your baby at different points in your pregnancy?</b><br /><br />Generally I was quite perky throughout my pregnancy. Tiredness and nausea did make me tearful at times. I always remember my younger cousin not switching her light off when we shared a room once so I could sleep got me into a right state. There were times I felt a bit anxious about the birth and being a Mum but I was trying to always enjoy being pregnant. My Dad and Grandad both passed away during my pregnancy which of course was very tough. However, I do think being pregnant gave me the strength the get through these times as I had to look after myself for my baby and the thought of the baby was a comfort.<br /><br /><b>3. Did your symptoms affect your mood and emotions at all?</b><br /><br />I was always hungry throughout my pregnancy and if I did not eat enough my rages were legendary. I remember throwing some dishcloths across the room as hubby had dared to buy the wrong ones. This was because it was getting close to lunchtime! The gremlin inside me would kick like a loon so I tried to control my temper a bit. I wasn’t that tearful generally so that was good.<br /><b><br />4. If you did have low mood or have any mental health issues during your pregnancy, how did you feel? </b><br /><br />Apart from the grief of losing family members I did not have any specific mental health issues when I was pregnant. If I had done though, I would have sought help. <br /><br /><b>5. Did the medical side of pregnancy affect your feelings and mood at all eg: scans/regular appointments/complications/general care?</b><br /><br />I was always a nervous wreck going to my scans as obviously was worried something was going to be wrong. I had to have an extra growth scan which was a bit scary but luckily all was ok. My midwife care was pretty good and straight forward and I didn’t tend to feel too anxious when I was reviewed. <br /><br /><b>6. How did you feel about giving birth?</b><br /><br />I was cleared for a midwife-led birth at my local unit and hubby and I attended NCT classes so we felt pretty clued up. I was more bothered about having to being induced, as heard the labours can often be harder. Luckily my labour started early. The concept of giving birth didn’t really frighten me. I just wanted to “do” it. I was very much go with the flow and strongly believe if you are destined to have a natural birth you can do it. If complications are destined to arise, there is nothing you can do but ride with it. So I went into labour quite open minded.<br /><br /><b>7. What advice would you give to any mums-to-be on this subject?</b><br /><br />Don’t suffer alone. Since having my daughter and going back to work I had some anxiety and insomnia for a month. It was horrible. I felt so stressed and did contemplate going to the doctors. Luckily hubby, Mum and some friends were very supportive so talking helped. I tried meditating and this was brilliant. I realised it was anxiety stopping me sleep as when my head was cleared I was nodding off. You need to admit to yourself there is a problem, confide in others, try self-help and if all else fails seek medical help. People are more understanding nowadays and there are more things to try before medication.<br /><br /><b>Social Media Links</b><br /><br /><b>Blog</b> – <a href="http://www.runjumpscrap.com/">http://www.runjumpscrap.com</a><br /><b>Facebook</b> – <a href="http://www.facebook.com/runjumpscrap">http://www.facebook.com/runjumpscrap</a><br /><b>Twitter</b> – <a href="http://www.twitter.com/runjumpscrap">http://www.twitter.com/runjumpscrap</a><br /><b>Instagram</b> – <a href="http://www.instagram.com/runjumpscrap">http://www.instagram.com/runjumpscrap</a><br /><b>Pinterest </b>– <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/runjumpscrap">http://www.pinterest.com/runjumpscrap</a></span>stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-253890419862022372015-05-25T21:34:00.000+01:002015-05-26T08:52:58.848+01:00Ten Reasons Why Toddlers Are Like Celebrities<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You might be reading the title of this blog and be thinking WT-actual-F is she on about - toddlers, like celebrities? But stick with me, I'm pretty sure you're going to identify with some of the below....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Why toddlers are like celebrities.....</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. They are often papped in compromising positions....</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busted with mummy's juice...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. They order "off -menu" when you go out to eat and everything has to be "on the side". God forbid one should allow bean sauce to contaminate one's frites.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mummy had the audacity to suggest a picnic in the sun</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Their social life is planned with military efficiency and they need to be booked up sometimes months in advance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. They have to be bribed, coerced, cajoled and eventually blackmailed into doing things that are usually for their own benefit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. They have tantrums if they don't get their own way. And the bigger the audience for these the better.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We weren't paying attention to him.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. They love selfies (Kim Kardashian has nothing on my son....)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potty selfie #pelfie</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. They never clean up after themselves. No really, nothing like someone bending over so you can wipe their pooey bottom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. They change outfits several times a day. Living with my son is like being in a Lady Gaga concert.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU2KijTxHgX_ynGo7T8z2uIP6yp_kxv2qigU410if2GLUC2uZOeU79AoWkBu-HTDnQc6u1UvvLYlzMmdeUU7RFNbvLzzX_8KUC44mXu5pVKlAqRuqHmxQaxhgQTlPBkPrTdHvJFLNkyk/s1600/2015-03-05+08.09.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirU2KijTxHgX_ynGo7T8z2uIP6yp_kxv2qigU410if2GLUC2uZOeU79AoWkBu-HTDnQc6u1UvvLYlzMmdeUU7RFNbvLzzX_8KUC44mXu5pVKlAqRuqHmxQaxhgQTlPBkPrTdHvJFLNkyk/s320/2015-03-05+08.09.43.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gruffalo/Bloodhound Gang mash up</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. They have to be protected from the harsh realities of life such as Iggle Piggle not being a real actual person and that you can't visit the cloudbabies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10. When they start talking, no matter what it's about (soliloquies on storm-clouds, where mummy's boobies should live) everyone hangs on their every word as if they're God passing down the ten commandments.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1zULdqrBn_N7Sds7g-JU57JB58xoZhCBAh0PmALZijLjYhmIy6dNxLJl2IhLk13rgy47EE9JAUkzhYWzWE34mZ-jMRvzoO94FKMYiv-VCJHGWrshDhbck3wO0oQD-nObE5oryF-em5E/s1600/10991056_10153046252926223_1465493653585394450_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1zULdqrBn_N7Sds7g-JU57JB58xoZhCBAh0PmALZijLjYhmIy6dNxLJl2IhLk13rgy47EE9JAUkzhYWzWE34mZ-jMRvzoO94FKMYiv-VCJHGWrshDhbck3wO0oQD-nObE5oryF-em5E/s320/10991056_10153046252926223_1465493653585394450_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunny listening to Mike the Knight under duress.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Agree with me? Have I missed any? Would love to hear your toddler's celeb-like behaviour so please leave me a comment below!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS If you liked this post you might like this<a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/unacceptable-mummy-behaviour-top-10.html"> one</a> and this <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/the-alternative-approximate-z-of.html">one</a>...and also this <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/verbal-sparring-10-weird-things-ive.html">one</a>...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.acornishmum.com/ten-things-linky" title="A Cornish Mum"><img alt="A Cornish Mum" src="http://www.acornishmum.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/linky2.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mummascribbles.com/" title="Mummascribbles"><img alt="Mummascribbles" src="http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p238/loobielis/twinkly_tuesday_badge_2015.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-76441166488685402022015-05-21T18:44:00.002+01:002015-05-25T09:12:33.473+01:00Emotions in Pregnancy - Interview no.1: Life As Mum Blog<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Very excited to be publishing the first in my interview series - `Emotions in Pregnancy` - check out <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/emotions-in-pregnancy-new-interview.html">this post</a> to find out the reasons behind this interview series. Tonight's interviewee is Beth, who blogs at <a href="http://www.life-as-mum.co.uk/">www.life-as-mum.co.uk,</a> here's her story.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Bio</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello! I'm Beth. I am a 22 year old Mother of two. I live in N.Wales with my Partner and two daughters, Mia & Elliw. I started blogging in 2013 to document my family life and something that my girls can read back on, when they are older.<br /><br /><b>1. How did you feel when you found out you were pregnant?</b><br />FIRST PREGNANCY - I was only 16. I was stupid and didn't think about contraception. I honestly just thought it wouldnt happen to me, but obviously it did. I was scared. I was scared of being a single teenage mother. The baby's father denied that she was his because of silly rumours but he knew very well she was his. I went through pregnancy and first 6-7 months of her life alone, with the help of MY Dad. <br /><br />I was scared of telling me people because i wasn't actually in a relationship with Mia's Dad. Although he knew very well i really liked him. When i found out i was pregnant at 7 weeks Mia's Dad started a relationship with another girl a week or so before i found out. I had a lot of abuse, people telling me i should abort (including Mia's Dad) and i even had people giving me sick comments which i won't go into. I was scared of disappointing my family most of all.<br /><br />SECOND PREGNANCY - My second pregnancy was unplanned and unexpected. I was on the pill and i had missed 2-3 days. I was only with my Partner for about 3 months. Again, i was scared telling other people and dissapointing my family. I had the support off everyone and from my partner. <br /><br /><b>2. How did your mood vary over the course of the pregnancy and did it vary by trimester or milestones?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />FIRST PREGNANCY - I didn't buy anything for Mia until my 20 week scan. I felt like i wanted to buy sooner but looking back, I'm glad i waited. My moods got worse in the 3rd trimester as i had a condition called Obstetric Cholestasis. OC is a liver condition, where you itch CONSTANTLY all over your body. <br /><br />SECOND PREGNANCY - The same with my first pregnancy, i didn't buy anything until my 20 week scan. My mood changed in the first trimester because i suffered with bad nausea every evening, but i was better in the second trimester. I got back into a bad, emotional mood in my 3rd trimester. <br /><br /><b>3. Did your symptoms affect your mood and emotions at all? </b><br /><br />Having Obstetric Cholestasis affected me quite badly. I couldn't sleep at night and i found it much harder going in my second pregnancy because i still had to wake up to my eldest daughter in the morning, whilst my partner went to work. I would try to sleep without covers, on the floor and even on the sofa downstairs. It was really hard to feel 'myself' during the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy. <br /><br />In my second pregnancy as well as having OC, i suffered depression. I think having OC was part to blame for getting depression. I felt useless. I felt like i couldn't do much with my first child. I also had that feeling where i thought i wouldn't be able to share my love between two children.<br /><br /><b>4. If you did have low mood or have any mental health issues during your pregnancy, how did you feel? </b><br /><br />I don't know if i could call my low mood as depression in my first pregnancy but i was pretty much in a low mood at most parts of my pregnancy. I was just really scared on becoming a single mother. I have lived with my Dad all my life and my Mother is pretty much useless and never does anything with me so i was brought up by a single parent so i know how it feels and i never wanted any of my children to have a single parent (i have nothing against them by the way, as i was brought up by one myself!)<br /><br />I didn't seek help when i fell into depression in my second pregnancy. I kept it all in and i do think it was the wrong thing. I should have sought help. I should have spoken to to someone about how i felt. Although I did have a few night time cries with my partner but he didn't and still doesn't understand how i felt. I really felt useless. I felt like i wasn't going to cope with two children. I remember telling myself that i will try my best to enjoy my whole pregnancy second time round. But i didn't. I couldn't wait until it was over with. Which is a big shame.<br /><br /><b>5. Did the medical side of pregnancy affect your feelings and mood at all? </b><br /><br />In my first pregnancy i had to go to hospital to be monitored twice a week and see the GP at hospital once a week on a Friday, for the last 10 weeks. It made my pregnancy feel quicker and in a way it helped me. I felt like i had a routine and it kept me busy. Even though sitting on the bed for over an hour twice a week was pretty boring. I had an extra scan because she measured small. Everything was fine and she was 8lbs 9oz when she was born.<br /><br />My Second pregnancy i only had to go to hospital once a week to be monitored and a GP at hospital once every few weeks. I had to go for an extra scan because yet again, they said she was measuring small. She was 9lbs 8oz when she was born!<br /><br />I felt exhausted. I was on so many tablets in both pregnancies. I had to smother myself in a cream to help calm down the itching and i just felt helpless. I had to keep on movements as i was a little bit paranoid in case something went wrong but luckily nothing did. Having OC really effect my last ten weeks in both pregnancies, emotionally and mood-wise. <br /><br /><b>6. How did you feel about giving birth?</b> <br /><br />I was induced 3 days early with my first and i was induced again with my second but 6 days early. I was happy and i was over the moon that i was getting induced. I felt like i couldn't cope with the itching anymore. I couldn't enjoy my pregnancy, i felt disgusting and i really didn't feel myself. I couldn't wait to give birth, even though i was petrified. <br /><br /><b>7. What advice would you give to any mums-to-be on this subject? </b><br /><br />I would advise anyone who suffers with depression during pregnancy, to seek help ASAP! Depression is a horrible illness and i found it worse when i was pregnant. I would honestly advise you to seek help as soon as feel or think you are depressed. I wouldn't want any mum-to-be to go through what i did.<br /><br />Here's where you can catch Beth on social media:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blog - <a href="http://www.life-as-mum.co.uk/">Life As Mum</a><br />Facebook - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lifeasmumblog">www.facebook.com/lifeasmumblog</a><br />Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/lifeasmumblog">@lifeasmumblog</a><br />Instagram - <a href="https://instagram.com/beth_slimmingworld">@lifeasmumblog_SW</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you'd like to answer these questions on my blog, just get in touch with on twitter @stupidgirl45. I'll be publishing the next interview in the series next thursday - hope you'll join us then!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span><br />
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<br />stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-23654773737581781462015-05-19T21:39:00.001+01:002015-05-19T21:39:26.979+01:00Emotions In Pregnancy - A New Interview Series!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writing my series on Ante-Natal Depression and Anxiety was incredibly cathartic, which I wasn't expecting. It was a very stressful period in my life, not just for me but for husbando as well, so to have the response it had and the comments and shares made it worth "coming clean" about my experiences. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part of the response showed me that my experience *was* on the more unusual side but equally that I wasn't alone and that sadly other women experience these negative feelings also. It was a small comfort to know it hadn't been just me, but I was saddened at how many mums felt they couldn't be open about their experiences or even knew that AND existed and to seek help if they wanted to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have no idea what I'm talking about - here's the posts I've written - parts <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-1-early.html">1</a>, <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-2.html">2</a>, <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-3.html">3</a> and <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-4.html">4</a>. I hope that by putting these out there, my experience in some way will help another mum feel less alone and less alienated and more able to seek help. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a result of the discussions around the posts, I came up with an idea that I am very excited about - a new interview series focussing on mums talking about their emotions and emotional-well being during pregnancy. It's something that's not much mentioned - how we're <i>really</i> feeling, and at all the different stages of pregnancy, in the middle of that hormone soup. It's a rollercoaster even without mental health issues to contend with - anyone else cry at andrex puppy ads?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My `Emotions in Pregnancy` series of interviews will go live this Thursday - 21st May - and from then on, every Thursday weekly and we'll be able to hear from different mums, dads and bloggers about their emotional experiences during pregnancy. My aim of the series is to show mums-to-be that how ever you feel, that's just fine but to seek support if you're not feeling quite right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you'll see from the interview, there's a whole spectrum of experiences out there, no two mummies are the same. The interviews so far have been incredibly personal, honest, humbling and emotional to read. I think you'll love them just as much as me and I hope you'll join in with comments and shares to encourage mums to be to read the interviews also! If you're interested in being interviewed, drop me an email on stupidgirl45 at hotmail dot com and I'l ping you over the questions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, If you're currently pregnant and looking for support, or know someone who is, here are some links that may be able to provide support and help. I would also always encourage people to talk to their midwife and GP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pandasfoundation.org.uk/help-and-information/pre-ante-and-postnatal-illnesses/pre-antenatal-depression.html#.VVuZ2flViko">PANDAS Foundation</a> - Pre and Post Natal Depression Advice and Support</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pndsupport.co.uk/">House of Light</a> - Help and support for women affected by post and ante-natal depression</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span>stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-59382321155801161742015-05-14T18:12:00.000+01:002015-05-15T06:54:25.904+01:00Depression & Anxiety in Pregnancy 4: Heading For the Finish Line<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>This is the final part in my series on Depression + Anxiety in pregnancy. You might like to read part <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-1-early.html">one</a>, two and three before this one!</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once in the 3rd tri and close to finishing work, the anxiety lessened a little. I no longer had to battle public transport worrying that I would throw up on someone or pee myself. I could sleep and eat whenever I wanted. However, I was still a hormonal fed up monster thanks to unrelenting nausea, heartburn and braxton hicks from 18 weeks.When people told me I'd probably go two weeks overdue, I wanted to both kill them and cry my eyes out.... </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1dpRKB85_10JIlbz1EogyXvxy2Bgx4S87lLhy_4B-llE8w5t3RuAQAAn9vKARuQIdB2ijJZbdNd_BBR8A45C0wrZLsN7VM6rWIOXn7pKSS1O6W6eihSNrcgDZ2pALngURtXJtIh3o-Y/s1600/395890_10151154550336223_1887720651_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1dpRKB85_10JIlbz1EogyXvxy2Bgx4S87lLhy_4B-llE8w5t3RuAQAAn9vKARuQIdB2ijJZbdNd_BBR8A45C0wrZLsN7VM6rWIOXn7pKSS1O6W6eihSNrcgDZ2pALngURtXJtIh3o-Y/s1600/395890_10151154550336223_1887720651_n.jpg" width="169" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At 32 weeks (and well over 13 stone!)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although the depression had lifted pretty much, I had a wobble when I finished work. I should have been thrilled - I could rest, fart, read and enjoy time on my own - but something wasn't right, I felt useless! I'd had a job since I left uni 10 years earlier, and worked through summers and school before that. Now I was work-less but not unemployed. I had a baby, but I wasn't a mummy - yet. I felt in limbo and it scared me. Our identities are so caught up in what we `do` - work or parenting or playing. But I wasn't really doing any of that yet and I felt weird and un-busy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It sounds crazy written down - but that's the point really - here was another part of pregnancy I wasn't ready for and the hormone soup in my head played havoc with it. As a first time mum, I found the waiting-for-baby to come quite isolating. I didn't have any mummy friends yet - everyone was at work pretty much - and I didn't have the energy to drag my fat ass to the city for a 40 minute coffee. I didn't have anyone to talk to really.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know this is where the NCT group thing is supposed to help but I didn't want to spend the money. And I just didn't feel like i'd connect with other mummies to be, because I thought I wasn't good enough. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I was very lucky though to be under the care of Streatham Valley midwives because they ran a 6 week ante-natal classes course as part of our treatment and I did meet some new mummy friends that way. However as I was due first....yup you guessed it....none of them were on mat leave yet. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I was confused, lonely and scared on top of all the 3rd trimester chaos.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a couple of weeks of this, nesting kicked in and distracted me from my worries. But then at 37+ something....things began to happen. My birth story is best left to another post but even as things were kicking off in earnest, I was still in denial about being in labour. I refused to pack my bag (I know, I know, it should have been done already), insisting everything was going to stop, that this wasn't it, I was fine (whilst on my hands and knees). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It wasn't until I threw the phone across the room when talking to my midwife that she insisted we come in to hospital "otherwise you'll be delivering this baby at home". So er, I arrived at the hospital at 9cm. After a "fun" cab journey through south London at 3am. But that's a story for another post.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So by the end of my pregnancy, I wasn't in too bad a place - but I got there with an awful lot of help and support. I would have been in a much worse state without it - and it set me up for a better than expected start once Baby45 arrived. I hope this series of posts has been interesting to read and that if you've had low mood or AND in pregnancy, it's made you feel better - you're not the only one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Enjoyed this post? Don't forget to check out parts <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-1-early.html">one</a>, <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-2.html">two</a> and <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-3.html">three</a> also....</b></span>
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-86392919772182729052015-05-12T09:06:00.000+01:002015-05-12T09:06:36.338+01:00Depression + Anxiety in Pregnancy 3: Getting Help + Buying Stuff<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>*This is part 3 in my series on Depression & Anxiety in Pregnancy. You may like to read parts <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-1-early.html">One</a> and <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-2.html">Two</a> also*</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Owning up to needing psychiatric support when you were pregnant is scary stuff. Everyone has a perception of mental health, none of it is flattering. I don't think I was at major risk but between appointments with my lovely psychiatric consultant, a psychiatric nurse and also a CBT counselor, I ended up with almost weekly appointments. These completely saved me as I had regular panic attacks through the early stages of pregnancy (I lost my job at 8 weeks pregnant, just after the spotting had stopped) and without my psychiatric support I don't want to think about the state I would have been in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was also mixed up about the support. On the one hand it was amazing to finally have this help but on the other, I was scared that they would think I was a danger to myself or my son and take him away when he was born. I still live with a remaining fear that this will happen. That my mental health will mean I won't be allowed access to the person I love more than anything in the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alongside all of this, we also were referred to a genetic counselor due to various things. This is not really much fun. There's not much to say but it meant I awaited our 12 and 20 week scans with a fair amount of dread. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a result of all this, I utterly refused to buy maternity clothes, despite not fitting into my jeans from a ridiculous 8 weeks. Lets not even talk about the enormo-boob situation. Even the sonographer told me, not unsympathetically, to stop doing my jeans up with a hair band....</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at 24 weeks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I struggled to buy things for my baby, as if in some way, it would "jinx" things. I just about tolerated a small book and babygro purchase after successful scans but planning for the larger items threw me. I spent many tearful, panicky hours wandering around the baby floor in John Lewis, whilst my long-suffering OH asked me questions about buggies and cots and clothes, as groomed mummies-to-be selected everything they needed without batting an eyelid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I found it all so intimidating - how did I know what buggy I needed and for what occasions. And cots, cribs, bassinets, co-sleepers, moses baskets, hammocks - all that just for sleeping. I frequently just wanted to yell "I Don't Know, Stop Fucking Asking Me Stuff". I'm a perfectionist and making such important-seeming choices just threw my anxiety and paranoia into overdrive. If there is anything more likely to trigger a row than a hormonal, anxious pregnant woman, a department store, over-priced buggies and a confused father-to-be, then I don't know it. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At 27 weeks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the time I was at 28 weeks, poor Baby Thor (as bump was known) barely had a thing. I couldn't face the research either, it was so bewildering, so much details and WHAT IF I GOT IT WRONG. Again with the perfectionism. OH had to step in and pretty much insist we bought a buggy, a cot and some clothes. But not without me melting down every.single.time. I find decision making stressful at the best of times, but thanks to my anxiety and paranoia everything seemed booby-trapped to make me out to be a bad mother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Want to know what happened next? Final part in the series coming soon!</b></span><br />
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-36405204237744532822015-05-10T16:54:00.000+01:002015-05-10T16:54:04.187+01:00Silent Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDh_8cUE5r_bXdOgDGUfEdISW5ZlTTsqkmEe4lhIMpcb1q6zRs4qcB9LCgvRsvB6H79roSptHBRqaZG2QSnh53I4TveDYMQ6U0cAIfs9Ua-k-0yd8qACbTai-WpYAdrOIyOfZMpZOZorY/s1600/11113044_10153224376546223_4389717679886093594_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDh_8cUE5r_bXdOgDGUfEdISW5ZlTTsqkmEe4lhIMpcb1q6zRs4qcB9LCgvRsvB6H79roSptHBRqaZG2QSnh53I4TveDYMQ6U0cAIfs9Ua-k-0yd8qACbTai-WpYAdrOIyOfZMpZOZorY/s400/11113044_10153224376546223_4389717679886093594_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cosmicgirlie.com/silent-sunday/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cosmicgirlie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Silent-Sunday.jpg" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-75598021306572064102015-05-10T06:20:00.000+01:002015-05-21T20:36:42.289+01:00Depression & Anxiety in Pregnancy 2: Reaching Rock Bottom<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>*This is the 2nd in my series of posts on my experience of Depression & Anxiety in Pregnancy. You may want to read <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-1-early.html">part one</a> first*</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the outside, hardly anyone knew what was going on inside my head whilst I was pregnant. I'd been with my OH for 10 years at this point, the baby was wanted and planned for and my pregnancy announcement came as no surprise to anyone. But I wasn't happy in myself. Yes, I was happy to be pregnant, but I was so unhappy with the task ahead of me and all I could see was ways to fail. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There seemed to be so much pressure to be so happy about being pregnant but that made it worse. I put on a lot of weight, I struggled to adapt to this. I felt very unattractive. I was in pain a lot of the time, nauseous or retching for most of the 9 months. And I felt so ungrateful because I was lucky to be pregnant I kept reminding myself.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SPdVhhiPLBbSJMggy18eIufjnpJ9thNg3DKhReMQ_wXbDUu8QvDzrpkm0A55Y8tTRxWhyphenhyphenznX0bV4Szcc3Ldlb6PG-eetKsSp2sB0669dxL_0GDU-5QrcKhAiFAic1OMUB0ZijeDjDdc/s1600/155438_10150854427531223_274836964_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SPdVhhiPLBbSJMggy18eIufjnpJ9thNg3DKhReMQ_wXbDUu8QvDzrpkm0A55Y8tTRxWhyphenhyphenznX0bV4Szcc3Ldlb6PG-eetKsSp2sB0669dxL_0GDU-5QrcKhAiFAic1OMUB0ZijeDjDdc/s1600/155438_10150854427531223_274836964_n.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At 17 weeks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things came to a head at 16weeks after a stressful work trip which exacerbated my unrelenting nausea. I was exhausted, nervous, off my anti-depressants and mid-genetic counselling referral. So I had a meltdown and mildly self-harmed. Not my finest moment. I was devastated by my behaviour and sobbed on my GP who kindly signed me off for 2 weeks. No one outside of my husband and one close friend knew what was going on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am so grateful to that friend for keeping an eye on me for those two weeks and to my OH for encouraging me to rest and relax on my time off work. I was so exhausted but the more I stressed about "failing" and not dealing with pregnancy like "other mums" the worse I felt. I cried lots over my two weeks off sick, blaming myself, feeling like a useless mum, worrying about the future. But the time to rest did help and i did begin to feel better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There wasn't a magic trick to this, it just took a bit of time and clearing hurdles like </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my 20 week scan, being signed off from needing epilepsy medication and not needing anti-depressants. Summer also started to arrive, I learned that I had to look after myself more and that it was okay to be scared and worried and to also let other people look after me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That was one part of pregnancy I also found tricky - accepting help. I am very very bad at asking for and accepting help. As per every toddler's mantra I like to do things "BY. MY. SELF.!" but when you're paralysed by retching every sodding morning and evening, you need someone else to make you palatable food and generally look after you. I found this inexplicably hard to deal with and it made me very panicky as I absolutely hate relying on people because of my paranoia that they will just up and leave me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite all the constant inner battles, I carried on carrying on and things calmed down a little. I still felt very nervous and panicky at the slightest thing, but I also began to feel more positive about baby arriving, even if I couldn't bring myself to buy anything....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Want to know what happens next? Read <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-3.html">part three</a>....</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.whenthedustsettles.co.uk/2015/05/11/mental-health-link-up/" title="When the Dust Settles"><img alt="When the Dust Settles" src="http://i2.wp.com/www.whenthedustsettles.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/mental-health-awareness-week-link-up-button.jpg?zoom=1.5&fit=960%2C960" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www%2Crunjumpscrap.com/" title="Best of Worst"><img alt="Best of Worst" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3PTsQLVlTjOW6582UA0GF7s8yh_0wFIyeaW4utw5b6SmyGF-QYdK7pep9M_ICMtkDOBormLUqcTHnpjvjQOO41ehNG3_zmNzX59g26bYJVBhE2rj7Ut73s5Yo9hlyQHYUUWMJCcLLX_6/s1600/bestandworstlinky.png" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-54576292014963820092015-05-07T10:04:00.001+01:002015-05-14T22:01:08.298+01:00Depression + Anxiety in Pregnancy 1: Early Days<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>This is the first in a series of 4 posts on my experience of depression and anxiety in pregnancy.</b> <b>I hope it is useful and helpful for people to read about, </b></span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">much as this </span><a href="http://23weeksocks.com/2015/04/06/blopmammas-guide-to-birth-plans/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">brave post</a></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> helped me. </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Warning - trigger post, self harming, risks in pregnancy, mental health</b>*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mental health during pregnancy is not talked about - either in books or online anywhere near as much as it should be. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have a history of mental health issues - mostly depression, anxiety, panic attacks and self-harming. All sounding like a great basis from which to become a mum (!) but I've always wanted kids and wanted to be well for them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking back at my pregnancy as a whole, I can see I was subconsciously in denial about being pregnant. I spent most of my pregnancy terrified and anxious - for various rational and irrational reasons. I often felt extreme fear that I just wasn't going to be good enough for this. I wasn't going to be "perfect". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I felt I was failing because I wasn't dealing with the pregnancy symptoms "well enough". I compared myself to other mums who seemed to carry on as normal when just wanted to lie down in a dark room for the entire time. I beat myself up for for finishing work at 34 weeks not 36 or 37 "like everyone else" because I couldn't cope anymore. I felt inadequate and unprepared for the demands on me - mentally and physically. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I bought and read a couple of "what to expect when you're expecting" type books. They had sections on colouring your hair in pregnancy, or continuing with botox. The mental health sections were minimal, useless to me. Pregnancy changes you hugely - and with the force of a sledgehammer. There was no going back, I couldn't stop what was happening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite all this, i loved my unborn son with a fierce passion. I talked to him all the time, I played him a lot of music, maybe not the recommended genres (why hello there Rage Against the Machine), I was so excited to feel him wriggle and kick and battle away inside me. And on my psychiatric notes, it was commented that I'd bonded well in pregnancy. So one thing I was doing well. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_f56px4hEytjrxUI6DaQZ4K9xtJNr1gkZ5dNsbrQXzkbThAVbugwmlz9i_r6Ze9V9qXztRqx8CcT457Vm74atoW9kawnHCsz38rSIqu6pI4158KUJEsf6zBZTjUijBH2aCLiFyl03Vz4/s1600/485808_10150845117396223_2030144762_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_f56px4hEytjrxUI6DaQZ4K9xtJNr1gkZ5dNsbrQXzkbThAVbugwmlz9i_r6Ze9V9qXztRqx8CcT457Vm74atoW9kawnHCsz38rSIqu6pI4158KUJEsf6zBZTjUijBH2aCLiFyl03Vz4/s1600/485808_10150845117396223_2030144762_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with small bump </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I knew I was pregnant very early - and this only fueled my anxiety, instead of waiting an extra week or so to test. When I spotted for the first few weeks of I was crazed with worry that I'd done something wrong. We had a scan at 5weeks - before the heart develops. They could tell very little and could I come back in a couple of weeks? Our next scan was on Valentines day. Everything was fine, I needn't have worried. But nothing stopped the ravenous terror inside me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't have the best start to having good mental health during my pregnancy. I had to come off my anti-depressants as a major side effect was nausea - this, combined with morning sickness was not fun! Also despite </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my GP knowing my mental state, I wasn't referred to the specialist pregnancy mental health team at St Thomas' in London, until my lovely midwife (hi there Streatham Valley team) pushed for my referral and spent an hour listening to my worries and history. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was humiliating having to list my past mental health trials and tribulations but I put myself through it because I so wanted to be well for my baby and to be the best mum I could be. I put a lot of pressure on myself throughout my pregnancy in this way. (Here's a<a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/outing-myself-mental-health-101.html"> post on depression</a> from me). I wasn't convinced that anyone could or even would deem me worthy of help but I was very scared of going through my pregnancy at my current level of paranoia and anxiety. Which in itself was a vicious cycle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Want to know what happened next? Here's <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-2.html">part two</a>, <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-3.html">part three</a> and <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/depression-anxiety-in-pregnancy-4.html">part four</a>!</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.vevivos.com/post-comment-love" title="Post Comment Love"><img alt="Post Comment Love" src=" http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u568/ToriWel/4e4a1bf6-07cb-494b-b06e-f959b1fe1311_zps654d027a.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://ghostwritermummy.co.uk/" title="Maternity Matters~ Ghostwritermummy"><img alt="Maternity Matters~ Ghostwritermummy" src="http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m19/ghostwritermummy1/db9b02f8-eb24-4438-85af-994e6b67697e_zps8005832d.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-69194192920057331262015-04-29T06:30:00.000+01:002015-04-29T10:41:39.122+01:00Wicked Wednesdays - Mummy Shaming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCSqwEc9pmw9DVwQ5PkrhWumEG5NVtZkxIv25KX_M3izY65enp-XL6lX14qS0jiHIBSnHKCICS0KF-k9I1oJBi_9zzHtY6NylgHMgKbWCrbWh3p_zrE5Ji2zr4Vtk7Phadb04lqGYpCs/s1600/11050727_10153194660266223_5123924223934954859_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCSqwEc9pmw9DVwQ5PkrhWumEG5NVtZkxIv25KX_M3izY65enp-XL6lX14qS0jiHIBSnHKCICS0KF-k9I1oJBi_9zzHtY6NylgHMgKbWCrbWh3p_zrE5Ji2zr4Vtk7Phadb04lqGYpCs/s1600/11050727_10153194660266223_5123924223934954859_n.jpg" height="320" width="176" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My finest parenting moment this week - Toddler45 decided to lie face down on the pavement on the way home from nursery and have a full tantrum because I wanted him to get back in the buggy. What did I do? I laughed and took a photo obviously!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Linking up to<a href="http://www.brummymummyof2.co.uk/p/wicked-wednesday.html"> WickedWednesdays</a> over on Brummy Mummy of 2.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.brummymummyof2.co.uk/" title="brummymummyof2"><img alt="brummymummyof2" src="http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/brummymummyof2/78c51e9b-422f-4127-b228-7047cff0d1af_zps15d29baa.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-8996131080319434802015-04-26T07:31:00.002+01:002015-04-28T11:05:46.889+01:00The Ultimate Guide To Mummy Maintenance - A Blogger Collaboration<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over at Moderate Mum, the lovely Charlene has brillliantly answered my question on <a href="http://www.moderatemum.co.uk/2015/04/how-do-you-deal-with-your-identity.html">dealing with your identity shift once you become a mum</a>. So in return, I'm answering this question...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">..."You seem like you've got your beauty groove down...With the time and practicality of keeping up with all the womanly grooming I used to love pre baby, I'd like to know, <b><i>what's your ultimate guide to mummy maintenance</i></b>?"...</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I feel ill-equipped to answer this, being a self-confessed slummy mummy but I have gained a lot of confidence since I had my son - or as I see it, I give a shit less. If I want to wear make up/look nice, I will, if I don't, I won't. However, it's massively time dependent, so I just like things that make me feel good, which in turn I think make me look good. Here's what works for me.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hair Colour</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have really dark hair so never coloured it due to expense/faff. Now I have lots of little grey <strike>fuckers</strike> hairs so needs must. I am really enjoying trying out life as a red-head. It's an easy change, took an hour or so to do and I feel really good about myself! I think it's something nice and fun also. I use this shade</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNsz9PTJRf6Ht5epPVxRZeHNdQLiPQ9OPrfgf12jZy3KBJAhLA9cMso9OBSyT3lNrzlgnWNlWeqwvZ2l0G26Bji9ypuHsT4Z7JZNwr5q6x-FxEccTlgkloeDJN1K_QoCwq-7cZvMljkI/s1600/feria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNsz9PTJRf6Ht5epPVxRZeHNdQLiPQ9OPrfgf12jZy3KBJAhLA9cMso9OBSyT3lNrzlgnWNlWeqwvZ2l0G26Bji9ypuHsT4Z7JZNwr5q6x-FxEccTlgkloeDJN1K_QoCwq-7cZvMljkI/s1600/feria.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eyebrows</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've always had a bit of a thing about a well plucked eyebrow. It's one of those things that just brightens your whole face without people being able to put their finger on what you've done...I tend to get mine threaded 2-3 times a year (it's about £10) and then maintain the shape myself at home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Foot de-hobbitting</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having nice nails - hands and feet - can really boost my mood. To this end I've started bunging a quick bit of foot-scrub on my tootsies in the shower every few days and slapping on the moisturiser and socks before bed. My feet and nails look much better and ready for a quick bit of polish when the sun arrives!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Manicures</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not posh expensive ones, just investing in decent polish and a shiny topcoat and then ear-marking time to do it. I do my nails on a monday evening after all chores are done. I settle down to watch Revenge and by the end my nails are done and dry . I then go to bed so no risk of damage. My favourites are Dorothy Shoes nails using the shades below. For the record, glitter polish hides chips really well. Also, if you're a fan of Rouge Noir colour polish, update your look by going for a dark green or navy blue.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make up routines</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a case of really knowing what works for you and for what occassions. I have 3 different looks depending where I'm going and how much time I have. I know exactly what order to do it in and what products I need. I can do my make up in 10mins or 20 as a result. Even with "assistance" from Toddler45 who loves applying make up to himself. He's a whizz with a powder brush!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Tutorials - Buzzfeed</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lot of mums I know struggle with the image changes post-baby. The hormonal soup we're in often results in changes to skin, hair and size, so sometimes we don't know what suits us any more. On my frequent night wakings I have spent an *embarrasing* amount of time on Buzzfeed. Which has its uses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not just to tell me what's happened to those 90's hunks I loved (erk) but they have some great make up, hair and clothing tutorials on <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/beauty">Buzzfeed Beauty</a>. I learned most of my <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/feline-fine-top-tips-for-eyeliner.html">eyeliner tricks</a> on there. So if you're up at night or have some spare time, check out those tutorials. Pinterest is also great for this and Bloglovin makes it very easy to find beauty bloggers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tip - remember that you don't need to look Pinterest Perfect. It's more to give you ideas about what might suit you and new things to try - and then adapting them to work for you and your life. You might also like this <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/top-10-beauty-products.html">post</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Accessories - Amazon</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is little opportunity to shop solo as a parent. Particularly for accessories, which need a bit more time than a smash and grab shopping trip allows. This is where online shopping is your friend - and Amazon in particular. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can try all sorts of new jewellery, scarves, leggings, tops - whatever takes your fancy - for very little cost at all. This can be reflected in the quality but for a quick perk me up, or way to change your look, it's really good. Recently I've bought a pair of black spiked hoops and some blue galaxy style leggings, both for less than £5. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fUx7cR5TuQGjZPZUHJ9pxbz5dv4yK__gB2A3Tlun95bpGB9Q-F8YLOkLAcjb3glA4bwG1bfvYcZI224KYXFC5oAp6aworu96xADUGI3nXrAsYLMGZhFiPhSS5PLe0zQENAiOm3z0M_A/s1600/studs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fUx7cR5TuQGjZPZUHJ9pxbz5dv4yK__gB2A3Tlun95bpGB9Q-F8YLOkLAcjb3glA4bwG1bfvYcZI224KYXFC5oAp6aworu96xADUGI3nXrAsYLMGZhFiPhSS5PLe0zQENAiOm3z0M_A/s1600/studs.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlwhowJTD5KNlOuFT2Zu62cmOkVM9xOCdzkPozxBZ_p3gMH1mRqybzGAZC9hyk4y9Y4UmkNN7sve6BWuDrtn0jS2SdUqxdfYEREzvHE-XyuD-ZFAWHXEtdRtDwXVguEBCMeFvFnTFsuQ/s1600/Galaxy+leggings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlwhowJTD5KNlOuFT2Zu62cmOkVM9xOCdzkPozxBZ_p3gMH1mRqybzGAZC9hyk4y9Y4UmkNN7sve6BWuDrtn0jS2SdUqxdfYEREzvHE-XyuD-ZFAWHXEtdRtDwXVguEBCMeFvFnTFsuQ/s1600/Galaxy+leggings.JPG" height="200" width="141" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're looking to splash a bit more cash and get something unique, you could do worse than try <a href="http://www.stelladot.co.uk/">Stella and Dot</a>. It's relatively new to the UK but featured in quite a few fashion mags already so perfect for birthday and Christmas pressies. Their statement necklaces and charm bracelets/chain are fab but I love my tech wallet in cobalt best.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyN4p4KBIzzTO44Q2V1RP5qwCOZHEvLzD2vOKIR9DQHik-Yb9EtsgCshS5UjZeFi06O-OWV35Lag_10WFItbFWLiX3Fdh8AuLHNKr66dVewPmGLpJhm6_cn4lBkKXxAEBYMeMNhKHodg/s1600/sg127cbl_chelsea_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyN4p4KBIzzTO44Q2V1RP5qwCOZHEvLzD2vOKIR9DQHik-Yb9EtsgCshS5UjZeFi06O-OWV35Lag_10WFItbFWLiX3Fdh8AuLHNKr66dVewPmGLpJhm6_cn4lBkKXxAEBYMeMNhKHodg/s1600/sg127cbl_chelsea_front.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Soooooooo that's my best effort at mummy maintenance - what are your top tips and links - do share with us below!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building.</span>
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<a href="http://mama-andmore.com/p/all-about-you.html" title="Mama and More"><img alt="Mama and More" src="http://mama-andmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/AllAboutYoubuttonnewcrop.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
<br />stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-53967498001990418172015-04-22T06:30:00.000+01:002015-04-22T06:40:02.876+01:00Wicked Wednesdays - Evil Mummy Strikes Again....<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this picture happened.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRZdQn7fomfWN_UVTuzVBKiQ3KSnxhJaxXF6gN8P5q8yoPJ8MYcFNjMS4-1mO-ByFXX3jw5LrLh2QB25gSK-l7QDYeCe8Hptv-Vw38x8n9EeVvq-k8sUmLfxNmMsm3ezWtUd8qZYYD2Y/s1600/10985248_10153181322971223_6052582732183333044_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRZdQn7fomfWN_UVTuzVBKiQ3KSnxhJaxXF6gN8P5q8yoPJ8MYcFNjMS4-1mO-ByFXX3jw5LrLh2QB25gSK-l7QDYeCe8Hptv-Vw38x8n9EeVvq-k8sUmLfxNmMsm3ezWtUd8qZYYD2Y/s1600/10985248_10153181322971223_6052582732183333044_n.jpg" height="220" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">I can only assume he's pissed off about being forced to have a picnic lunch on the balcony in the sunshine. Also cross at then being put in shorts. Maybe it's because they weren't sequinned like my shorts are.....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Anyway, that's my contribution to #wickedwednesdays!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Stupidgirl45</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.brummymummyof2.co.uk/" title="brummymummyof2"><img alt="brummymummyof2" src="http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/brummymummyof2/78c51e9b-422f-4127-b228-7047cff0d1af_zps15d29baa.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-86380955184130024332015-04-21T12:45:00.001+01:002015-04-21T12:45:04.450+01:00Why I Had A Blogging Break<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, in case you hadn't noticed. I didn't blog for a couple of weeks. I have no real excuse for this. Although I do feel a bit like a fake blogger sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I love writing, love the platform and the opportunity and the community, but sometimes it all gets too much for me. A bit like real life, I'm a secret introvert - I'm massively extroverted, most of the time and then sometimes being the loud, chatty, happy friendly person is too much and I need a little lie down away from the all the noise. It's the same with blogging. Sometimes it's just a bit draining.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know it's my own fault - no one asked me to blog, I choose to do this - but I'm hugely competitive and put so much pressure on myself, even though I have no real desire to do reviews of change bags, or bottles or blinds or much else for that matter. And even though I kind of have some expertise in other areas - social media, recruitment, disability - I kind of feel like those are all covered off by better people and also my blog is not the place for those. So why blog at all really? I just like the opportunity, once in awhile to write something that resonates with other people - from eyeliner, to sleep deprivation to CBeebies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know if other bloggers find it draining - those who are pro-bloggers, I have *no idea* how you manage it. Between working p/t, being a mummy/doing most of the childcare plus household chores/cooking/paperwork and the odd gossip with my friends, my time is consumed. Oh and spending some time with husbando and dealing with LO's night wakings, I'm all done in a lot of the time. The thing is, I have the ideas, blog posts come all the time, it's just finding the time to sit and write.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And also, I think it mostly comes down to it taking a lot of confidence to get thoughts down on a blogpost now. Blogging has changed a lot in the 6 years since I started. Although there have always been....unpleasant parts of the internet....the viral nature and mob mentality of social media scares me - and I say that with corporate experience not just personal knowledge of the interwebs. I self censor a lot more now and worry about sensitive topics that could offend people - even common mummy topics like breastfeeding or birth stories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's also confidence about my writing as a whole. I just wonder why bother to write, when it's such a time suck away from things I should be doing like laundry or paperwork. I know it's time for me but I often feel like it doesn't show its worth very often. It would almost be better if I did want to review things - I'd have something concrete to show for my time away from other seemingly more productive activities. And I'm still not getting anywhere with my book writing. The blog is excellent procrastination for that! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this post is a bit of a brain dump, a bit of an explanation as to not being around, and also a bit of a shout out to other bloggers. Do you feel like this too?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span>stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-34385369657069113382015-04-07T08:07:00.003+01:002015-04-07T08:07:39.298+01:00Oh I Do Like To Be Beside the Seaside....<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We went to Wales to see the outlaws for Easter. One of my plans was to take more pictures of Toddler45 and Husbando together. I know there's a big focus on the mum staying in the picture, but due to OH's working hoours and camera-shyness we don't have many pics of them together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here they are on the beach at Aberavon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hope you all had a lovely Easter (or Pesach).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.youbabymemummy.com/" title="You Baby Me Mummy"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="You Baby Me Mummy" src="http://youbabymemummy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Point-Shoot.jpg" style="border: none;" /></span></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-22934459617025410322015-04-05T08:00:00.000+01:002015-04-10T07:31:26.654+01:00An Evening in the Life of an Amateur Blogger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5:30pm</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Collect child from childcare. Reply to incessant babble whilst trying to retain that evening's blog idea in your head and planning out post structure. Bribe with <strike>jaffa cakes</strike> Organix gingerbread men for some peace and quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shovel dinner into child. Whilst yoghurt is being lavishly spread across your kitchen floor, tidy and prepare dinner to enable you to eke out an hour of <strike>gossiping on social media</strike> blogging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Read 675,984 bedtime stories, including The Cat in the <strike>fucking</strike> Hat, 6 times - end up feeling slightly stoned. Sing lullabies in a rapid whisper whilst checking Twitter to see which linkys you should be doing today. Try to remember which old posts you can rehash for these and also blogpost planned on the way home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7:30pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Realise child is asleep and you're sitting in the dark whispering to yourself - use ninja moves to sneak out. Bung dinner in the microwave and grab wine and laptop, only to discover darling child has switched on airplane mode and hidden all your icons. <strike>Fuckitty fuck</strike>. Also, low battery, where is the <strike>cocking</strike> charger?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OH home, dish up dinner, offer perfunctory chat and affection whilst also figuring out how to fix laptop, remember linkys *and* blog post idea. Find charger behind nappy bin/in change bag/under buggy (delete as applicable).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8:30pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally sit down with laptop and wine - thank christ. Open twitter, facebook, and blog. Immediately get sucked into black hole of chatting. Try to remind self of blog homework but instead continue discussion about latest TV hunk on twitter, cc'ing in said TV hunk via his twitter handle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>8:45pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember what you're supposed to be doing and begin writing! Tweet loudly and gleefully about this. Get side tracked by linky admin. Feel irrationally annoyed when you're the 167th post on a linky which is the linky equivalent of being sent to Coventry. Vow to be organised. Google "blog organisation" and "social media strategy" and "pro-blogging". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>9:30pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blog post complete, yay! Fortify self for tedious task of link insertion/link checking, uploading images, appropriate tags and other thankless editing tasks with chocolate and more wine. Consider gin but think best not to mix on a school night after brief discussion on - where else - Twitter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pimp post across social medias. Wonder if Mumsnet/Netmums/Tots100/ ParentDish feel very unspecial when you copy them all into the same tweet. Fill up entire timeline on Facebook and Twitter with links to new post. Fail to remember Hootsuite password. Feel annoyed you cannot schedule link to new post at 3am for people up nightfeeding. Because it's just what they need.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10:10pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your mother tweets you "WHY TWEETING LINK LOTS ALL OVER PLACE". Feel ashamed of shameless self-promotion. Drink more wine and wonder if tonight's post is the one that will have The Huff Post, The Guardian *and* Red magazine emailing to commission you. Distract self with blog stats instead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10:12pm</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10:22pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10:35pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Refresh again. Small increase. Wonder if it's all worth it. Distract self by replying to backlog of comments. Wonder why some posts get more comments than others. Tell posts they are just as good as others. Consider perhaps lowering wine consumption as you are actually talking *to* your blog posts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10:45pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes - RTs/comments/likes! Even M</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">umsnet RT'd you, you feel like you've won the bastarding Pulitzer. G</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">abble away to all responses then retire to bed vowing to be more organised tomorrow, to plan blog posts, to schedule things and to dig out your Hootsuite password to enable this. You will be a pro-blogger, you will! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>11:15pm</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In bed. Husband attempts conversation You bat him away, there's still time to check twitter on your phone *and* get a couple of hours sleep before the baby wakes. And also, what was that other blog post idea you much write it down......</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Unspecified middle of the night baby crying time am</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Feed screaming baby. Check twitter. Realise you've put a massive typo in all your pimping out tweets. Wonder if you're really cut out for this. Resolve to drink less wine and worry about it all again tomorrow.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and good night,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.vevivos.com/post-comment-love" title="Post Comment Love"><img alt="Post Comment Love" src=" http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u568/ToriWel/4e4a1bf6-07cb-494b-b06e-f959b1fe1311_zps654d027a.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://lifeloveanddirtydishes.com/friday-frolics/" title="Friday Frolics"><img alt="Friday Frolics" src="http://lifeloveanddirtydishes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Friday-frolics-Badge.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-5330561296036537022015-04-04T16:18:00.000+01:002015-04-04T16:19:13.094+01:00Sunday Kitchen Disco 3 - Some New Music<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As this week has been full of work, household admin and travelling for Easter vacation, we've not done much kitchen disco-ing sadly. And the most common music request is still `Updown Funk` (!). To remind you, to join <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/p/sunday-kitchen-disco-linky.html">#sundaykitchendisco</a> add your link below, <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/p/sunday-kitchen-disco-linky.html">paste in the badge</a> to your post and tweet your post link to me for a RT - more info here.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However as I work from home, I listen to music a lot and thought I would share with you my most recent finds. I'm a bit behind with current popular music but I'm enjoying a lot of the below. If it helps, my music tastes are fairly free ranging, but more on the indie/metal/electro side.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grimes </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've blogged about Grimes <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/see-you-on-dark-night-lyric-day.html">before</a>. She sounds like Kylie meets Aphex Twin. Pop meets electro armageddon. I'm loving new song REALiTi which she's binned off her album (god knows why). The video, shot in Asia, is great also. If you like this track, try <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtH68PJIQLE">Oblivion</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FH-q0I1fJY">Genesis</a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Jesus +Mary Chain</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not a new band by anyone's standards, I first heard them after wondering what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgB__YratE">this great song</a> is at the end of Lost In Translation. Whingey indie/indie-drone, alt rock, I bought their greatest hits but then completely forgot about them until it came on my ipod the other day. I'm now hooked. Favourite track is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncmCTvJoyDQ">Snakedriver</a> but I also like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK2nJWNgZBA">You Trip Me Up</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ry0J84cLe4">Sidewalking</a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kitty, Daisy + Louis</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">KD+L have been around for awhile - Amy Winehouse was a big fan - and I love their summery, retro big band-meets-motown sound. They have a gorgeous retro look too and are apparently great live. My favourite is I'm So Sorry with it' awesome video but also try <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxW3Ed7GrhQ">Going Up the Country</a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Crystal Castles</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not for the faint-hearted, CC's music is intense and relentless - an annihilating mix of beepy electro (chip-tune) that builds a total wall of sound with Alice Glass's incoherent, angelic tones over the top. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32udqal_lyQ">Not In Love</a>, ft Robert Smith is their most well known track but their triptych of albums is worth a listen. Try <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2FOnrFlEJY">Alice Practice</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ugOBCZAVk">Wrath of God</a> and the haunting <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBaM8eutHOg">Child, I Will Hurt You</a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Santigold</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you like M.I.A or Missy Elliot you'll probably like Santigold. Her style is genre-bending but kind of pop, hip hop, indie, electro, funk. It's all in there. I love <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMNwmHWHaEo">Shooting Arrows at the Sky</a> from The Hunger Games OSD, but also worth checking out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIMMZQJ1H6E">Disparate Youth</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciJDA0tcQfs">L.E.S. Artistes</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking forward to seeing all your links on the linky below!</span></div>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-21428382105287097162015-04-03T09:56:00.000+01:002015-04-03T09:56:07.162+01:00Feline Fine - Top Tips for Eyeliner Application<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After my post on<a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/top-10-beauty-products.html"> Top 10 Beauty Buys</a> and an extensive discussion on Twitter about eye-liner application, I thought I'd go off tangent - again - and do a post on just that! The post is spl</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it by kit, key things to remember, tips for pencil/tips for liquid liner and then some 'don'ts'. To add, I bought everything myself, nothing has been sent to me to review. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><b>The Kit</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Al of these have helped me with eye-liner application:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Good magnifying mirror,</b> free standing and lit, ideally. I love </span><a href="http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Illuminated-Make-up-Mirror-Exclusive-to-Boots_1527178/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this one</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> from Boots. I use it to apply all my make up and it really means I get a very polished look. It's not essential but it does help. It's very helpful for spotting small errors and easy correction.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Cotton buds</b> - any brand, but they are *perfect* for quickly swiping in to remove smudges, splotches and errors without needing to re-do your whole eye.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pencil eye liner.</b> I find the best pencil liners are soft and waxy, meaning they have a strong pigment, go on smoothly with little pressure but also smudge well - either to conceal errors or for a smoky look. My top 3 pencil liners at different price points are <a href="http://www.lancome.co.uk/_en/_gb/make-up/eye-makeup/eyeliner/crayon-khol-034019.aspx">Rimmel Soft Khol</a>, <a href="https://www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk/product/view/badgal-liner-waterproof-eyeliner">Benefit Bad Gal</a> and <a href="http://www.lancome.co.uk/_en/_gb/make-up/eye-makeup/eyeliner/crayon-khol-034019.aspx">Lancome Crayon Khol</a>.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Liquid liner.</b> I recommend using a liner with a fibre tipped brush - like a felt pen - rather than a standard fine brush. The reason for this is that they are firmer, giving easy application and a solid line. They also go on smoothly and evenly. I like <a href="http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/eyes/exaggerate-eye-liner">Rimmel</a> as it lasts all day (or longer) and you get a lot in the tiny pot. I also recommend <a href="http://www.sleekmakeup.com/makeup/eyes/eyeliner/dip-it-black">Sleek's liquid liner</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Facial wipes/Baby wipes</b> - self explanatory really but good for removing make up! And having a quick swipe in specific places without needing to remove everything.</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Key Things To Remember:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1. </b>Your eyes are sisters, not twins. So don't worry if your lines are not identical.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2. </b>Practice makes perfect</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3. </b>Don't stress if you start out with mostly thicker lines, as you practice you'll get better at doing finer lines.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4. </b>Start with a well prepped eye - apply foundation/concealer to your face if required and but key is to dust translucent powder over your face and *eyes*.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5. </b>I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">f you are wearing eye shadow(s) apply as normal prior to liner but save your darkest shade for *after* your eye-liner application.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6. </b>Always pull your eyelid skin taut when using either type of liner. Not everyone agrees with this but it works for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7.</b> If you have sensitive eyes, all these products *should* be okay but do check the labels. I have sensitive eyes/wear hard lenses and am fine with all these products. Also, when applying, go slow and allow your eyes to adjust between applying products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Pencil Application Tips:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Start at the outer corner of your eye but with the pencil pointing <i>up </i>(this is key) and pressed against your skin</b>. Then drag the pencil along the line of your eye, as close to your lashes as possible. This will give you a neat little flick, turning into a graduated line. Once you get about 3/4 across, I find it easier to then work from the inside corner out to meet the other line. This picture shows the pencil starting position although I prefer the pencil to be pointing straight up. </span></li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86-QmROtcOjbbWj9RYrUKaVGgi4EXK6lb4bU01-_Sg7KvB6MaPmRP2f3xdxMBl05tRSLAQXWOB3hrgvJ8YhMpZGx4GzlfSAF1PaGqaBD8YaDj4ipu6ckxpX9O7Pm4poWMX1ZBX9mWpeA/s1600/eyeliner+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86-QmROtcOjbbWj9RYrUKaVGgi4EXK6lb4bU01-_Sg7KvB6MaPmRP2f3xdxMBl05tRSLAQXWOB3hrgvJ8YhMpZGx4GzlfSAF1PaGqaBD8YaDj4ipu6ckxpX9O7Pm4poWMX1ZBX9mWpeA/s1600/eyeliner+2.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://imgur.com/a/TNKHY">credit. TNKH</a>Y</td></tr>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>If you have any unevenness,</b> the great thing about pencil is that you can just smudge and smooth it across and touch up if needed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Dust your darkest eye shadow over your pencil line</b>. This hides mistakes, softens the line and gives slight smoky effect. If you use a colour that highlights your eye colour (eg green eyes/dark purple shadow) it can really make your eyes "pop".</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Liquid Liner Application Tips:</b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Rest your arm on a solid surface. </b>It does help a lot. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Trace the line in pencil first</b>. Then go over in liquid liner - much easier!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Fill in gaps with your eyes open</b>. This sounds nuts but if you've got a few wiggly bits/uneven application, a fibre tipped brush makes it surprisingly easy to correct these with your eyes open and a steady hand. You can almost 'dot' or 'dash' it on.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To get a decent cat-eye flick, I use this trick. </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It it *so* easy!</span></li>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAETMUreBtgOgWaBXBgD3Ci64XZMHVv9u-uSNT_vOluKEJmyTUSYXg4tcuAK28EJAnplVoAyazBDEjk7DOCptj83fSmVX6Nq3aTFdqfsrkVZ8-_vwrIyXKQsyBxcwt14VkhbR5aGG7jYc/s1600/eyeliner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAETMUreBtgOgWaBXBgD3Ci64XZMHVv9u-uSNT_vOluKEJmyTUSYXg4tcuAK28EJAnplVoAyazBDEjk7DOCptj83fSmVX6Nq3aTFdqfsrkVZ8-_vwrIyXKQsyBxcwt14VkhbR5aGG7jYc/s1600/eyeliner.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://avintageaffairgal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/how-to-eyeliner-for-all.html">credit http://avintageaffairgal.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/how-to-eyeliner-for-all.html</a></span></td></tr>
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<b>Don'ts:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1. </b>Don't apply liquid liner under your eyes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2. </b>Don't apply liner in a hurry, you'll f*ck it. I speak from experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3. </b>Don't curl your lashes until your liner is dry or you'll remove it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4.</b> If you have sensitive eyes, be careful of applying liner on your water line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5.</b> If using pencil liner on your bottom lids, don't join it up with top lids with a line, just smudge it together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, that's all - hope it was helpful and useful, do let me know how you get on in the comments or hit me up with a tweet on @stupidgirl45</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building.</span></div>
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-35398572961845399172015-04-01T22:07:00.000+01:002015-04-04T10:01:58.200+01:00The Alternative Approximate A-Z of CBeebies Shows<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As per the title. If you're unfamiliar with any of these shows then either you don't have kids, your child is too tiny for TV or you're a Pinterest parent and this will make no sense. Also, this post is tongue in cheek (I can't believe I need to point that out but just in case....) Also, it's not a full A-Z, just an approximation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A is for.....Abney & Teal</b>. Let's start with a good one, I'll be kind, I love A+T. I especially love the poc-pocs (random name), the illustrations, that the voice of Teal is Shingai Shoniwa from The Noisettes and also that a turnip is a major character.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>B is for .....Baby Jake</b>. Er what the what the what? WHAT? I don't understand this show at all. Aside from this being a family with 10 kids who all live in a circular stone tower, those bunny rabbits are terrifying ("scariest since Donnie Darko" according to @bird42) and Baby Jake himself is a very disturbing flexi-jointed incubus. Just so wrong at 7am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>C is for..... Carrie and David's Pop Shop </b>which wins the prestigious title of most annoying kids TV show ever. A survey of 87% of parents say they detest it.* The presenters were last seen on Fame Academy (The Bronze Age in TV years) which tells you all you need to know. Unfortunately Toddler45 loves it. I've considered disowning him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I is for.....In the Night Garden,</b> clearly<b> </b>written by people on illegal substances as per all the best kids shows (<i>cf</i> Tellytubbies/Magic Roundabout/The Clangers). Featuring <b>Iggle Piggle</b> unfortunately friend-zoned by Upsy Daisy, <b>Makka Pakka</b> who has a farting problem which he blames on his trumpet and the <b>Tombliboos</b> - what they actually are/do is anyone's guess. Storylines include moustaches disappearing, random springs appearing and tiny people living in the woods. It's all unnervingly narrated by Cadfael. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>K is for......Kerwizz. </b>Oh god, shoot me now. This programme is utterly stultifying. The catchphrase "Kerwizz - the quiz with added whizz" is the best thing about it. And that's saying something. Fronted by a guy who uses chip fat as a hair product. Even Toddler45 hates it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>L is for...... Let's Play,</b> in which CBeebies presenters indulge in a spot of cosplay/fantasy dressing up and <b>Little Robots</b> which is actually pretty cute, mainly because Toddler45 calls it `Little W-obots`. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>M is for......Me Too</b>. *sigh* if you are unfortunate enough to be woken at 6am you'll know that this is a programme featuring Balamory's odder relatives. Or that's what I've extrapolated. Most of the time I watch this with the sound off as i find that improves the experience (by watch I mean have my eyelids prised open by Toddler45 "You 'wake mama")/ <b>Mr Bloom</b> - have you been living in a hole? Do you not know that this is the green fingered kids TV presenter that mummy bloggers would most like to have feeling their melons? Or something....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>O is for......Old Jack's Boat</b> This series comes with a lot of supercoolness due to being written by a Dr Who writer and featuring Freema Agyeman. But mostly i snigger at the frequent references to the salty sea and Old Jack perving over Freema's mermaid....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>R is for.....Rastamouse</b>. I bloody love Rastamouse, especially the theme tune. I wish they'd do a remix of this In fact I probably love this more than Toddler45. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>S is for....Show Me Show Me.</b> I mostly spend this show, and I'm sure some of you do this too, trying to spot Pui's bump, admiring her maternity wear and being impressed with her ability to get out of having to <strike>do all that dicking about on the floor</strike> show us her groovy moves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>T is for .....Topsy and (Fucking) Tim</b> - smug middle class twins doing boring things. In one episode Topsy's mum was giving her mummy friend devil eyes for landing her in it with the smug twins after revealing she was selling their house. Given the current house prices in South London the twins don't need to rely on TV salaries for an income.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>W is for......Waybuloo</b> Actually, I love Waybuloo. it's so soothing and faintly....trippy. With all the floaty characters and actual children talking to themselves. It's supposed to be a kids yoga show, but again definitely substance influenced...! Sends me to sleep every time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Z is for.....Zingzillas</b> - a music themed show featuring former musicians down on their luck</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(members of the Darkness, I'm looking at you )</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. And some animated puppets. And a lot of enormous coconuts, which is a lot less exciting than it might sound.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know, I've skipped a lot of letters. But this was always the approximate alternative A-Z. I think you get the gist!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*Totally made up statistic</span><br />
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<a href="http://honestmum.com/category/brilliant-blog-posts/"><img alt="Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com" src="http://i.imgur.com/fJzNWoE.jpg" height="189" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="301" />
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<a href="http://lifeloveanddirtydishes.com/friday-frolics/" title="Friday Frolics"><img alt="Friday Frolics" src="http://lifeloveanddirtydishes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Friday-frolics-Badge.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.vevivos.com/post-comment-love" title="Post Comment Love"><img alt="Post Comment Love" src=" http://i1322.photobucket.com/albums/u568/ToriWel/4e4a1bf6-07cb-494b-b06e-f959b1fe1311_zps654d027a.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-70905689718883413422015-03-29T08:01:00.002+01:002015-03-29T08:02:44.951+01:00Sunday Kitchen Disco No.2<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Morning all and welcome to the second ever #sundaykitchendisco! This week I've been a bit slack so I'm only actually writing this *on* sunday whilst I recover from losing an hour of sleep thanks to that whole clocks going forward thing *plus* a child who thinks it's fun to wake up in the middle of the night for a couple of hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So if you're wondering WTF#sundaykitchendisco, the short story is, it's a music themed linky I run every sunday. If you've enjoyed anything music related with your kids - be it dancing in the kitchen, going to a festival, singing along in the car, going to a class or group or just *anything* music related, then add your post(s) here. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They don't have to be recently written *and* you can add more than one. For more information see <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/p/sunday-kitchen-disco-linky.html">here</a>. Also here's <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/sunday-kitchen-disco.html">last week's</a> linky if you want to check it out. If you join up, don't forget to tweet me the link and add the #sundaykitchendisco badge to your post!</span><br />
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<a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/p/sunday-kitchen-disco-linky.html" title="SundayKitchenDisco"><img src="http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/stupidgirl45/4ba96a8e-263d-4590-8dcb-d362b583c284_zps4wq6wfns.jpg" alt="SundayKitchenDisco" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this week we have mostly been listening to....<br /><br />The bloody Abadas theme tune. Yes, I don't know why either, but I've had multiple requests for it. Well, also Up-Down (!) Funk too as usual but yes, this is what we've had on a loop in this house</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L6msX2nImhI/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/L6msX2nImhI?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week we also <b>went to</b> our last ballet class of the term. Toddler45 has been going to ballet since last September and he loves it. Well, mostly he loves his ballet teacher but he really enjoys singing and dancing. The class for his age group (18mo-3yo) is mostly just music and movement but he's progressed really well and can do the whole class with minimal help from me. He only has one more term before he moves up to the big class where mummies <i>don't go in</i> and he has to follow the teacher without help from me. I'm really interested to know how he gets on with this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's surprising how few boys do ballet. Admittedly there are *a lot* of little girls in pink tutus but ballet is widely recognised as being excellent training for the body in terms of core strength, posture and co-ordination. Whatever sport or exercise Toddler45 wants to go on to do, these classes are a really good beginning for him. For those who have expressed surprise that a BOY does ballet, then I just assume they've not seen Billy Elliot and have never actually watch a ballet in their lives!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So thats it for #sundaykitchendisco this week but feel free to add a link below and let us know what you've been up to!</span></div>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-11122322400191868852015-03-26T23:31:00.000+00:002015-03-26T23:31:20.192+00:00Some Juvenile Humour<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Utterly random post but here are some cards from <a href="http://www.taylorjayne.co.uk/">TaylorJayne</a> in Reigate that made me laugh until I cried this week. Can your pelvic floor cope with these?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_14ZB4XLaTETaxXOdJ1szLwmRSsfLgWjIy8ZUOsGksiNgqPfz-Ak7nxeXoU9G2-IoQquzM7XiIzHtmnoP68IipenO9RPoOGP3_ppPDl2CV4dpCmry1Yf3RCa5y23EGXqBV8SuG35B5xE/s1600/2015-03-25+12.55.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_14ZB4XLaTETaxXOdJ1szLwmRSsfLgWjIy8ZUOsGksiNgqPfz-Ak7nxeXoU9G2-IoQquzM7XiIzHtmnoP68IipenO9RPoOGP3_ppPDl2CV4dpCmry1Yf3RCa5y23EGXqBV8SuG35B5xE/s1600/2015-03-25+12.55.01.jpg" height="400" width="276" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just couldn't stop laughing at this one. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZrnCQP6meSRZAeXcCWo6BtUVqEXg4c9fMgTgpVY_XSDOcuSRtRKAmE_sqEzQkzkudV53t97LU4-E9j7pVFxrB5gOHp3VAnYc3iByGJv75GrsCzF4CT061a4ffiMd5evf3Fwcy_GEfyI/s1600/2015-03-25+12.55.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZZrnCQP6meSRZAeXcCWo6BtUVqEXg4c9fMgTgpVY_XSDOcuSRtRKAmE_sqEzQkzkudV53t97LU4-E9j7pVFxrB5gOHp3VAnYc3iByGJv75GrsCzF4CT061a4ffiMd5evf3Fwcy_GEfyI/s1600/2015-03-25+12.55.20.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yup, even nursery rhyme figures can be slut-shamed</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-lQp_lKYBZfgR2DRb5d0Hc_lmLl97P5r4mXeepi6obvG8j1ojieczfj7txtCH8iLqIupGHNr5gloXdC7IT10xxNCZvZlirRi8XUCc-x9gny7zK97kdqqE0ie8wZljzkgJ2JaAbi3GXU/s1600/2015-03-25+12.55.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-lQp_lKYBZfgR2DRb5d0Hc_lmLl97P5r4mXeepi6obvG8j1ojieczfj7txtCH8iLqIupGHNr5gloXdC7IT10xxNCZvZlirRi8XUCc-x9gny7zK97kdqqE0ie8wZljzkgJ2JaAbi3GXU/s1600/2015-03-25+12.55.56.jpg" height="400" width="247" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some might say the fanny falling off was a small mercy</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazQQjuWp9DRb5qJGiW4Bca6Qz47YUI5SwvvmvjVnybpIQ-0aO4gFtcqLXb0TCj6mApJaOSsv6-lPmNzSbkRkWHPE8yuoJ1fQ80AuChYDkgAHP7q-e7DTm6VEOSZcwlNAWo2M4ndyCTC8/s1600/2015-03-25+13.00.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazQQjuWp9DRb5qJGiW4Bca6Qz47YUI5SwvvmvjVnybpIQ-0aO4gFtcqLXb0TCj6mApJaOSsv6-lPmNzSbkRkWHPE8yuoJ1fQ80AuChYDkgAHP7q-e7DTm6VEOSZcwlNAWo2M4ndyCTC8/s1600/2015-03-25+13.00.10.jpg" height="400" width="275" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you! So when I talk about potty training all the time, *that's* because it's key skill!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Often with blog writing you have weeks where it's all killer and weeks where it's all filler. I think you can tell which one this week has been.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span></div>
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-18744547363031776602015-03-25T22:09:00.000+00:002015-04-07T07:59:23.607+01:00Top 10 Beauty Products <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time for something different - I'm not normally a reviews person but I've been using some beauty bits recently that are great and worth a blog post. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of these products below cost less than £10, if not less than £5 and are available from your local Boots/Superdrug. Hope you like them as much as me! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also please note I have either gotten all these as gifts (hi there mother in law) or bought them myself, none were sent to me to review.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>HAIR</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I could afford it, I would use Kerastase all day everyday. But like most people £20 for shampoo/conditioner is a bit much. So <a href="http://www.loreal-paris.co.uk/hair-care/elvive-extraordinary-oils-haircare">L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil shampoo, conditioner and hair oil</a> seems to be the next best thing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5SzqM2Un0ygwZAlLxhJqJ6ZPC7zufRefO-0pnRggq4B5rBOTH74gNJ03UkYEXlk2SVAVsYh1dgPwsbZPFfC-p8gbnDHcNG0HhueSC-ZOaiJ3vAtnFCkl0hLT1Mrpp1yeF_UvMwJJoV0/s1600/hair+oil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD5SzqM2Un0ygwZAlLxhJqJ6ZPC7zufRefO-0pnRggq4B5rBOTH74gNJ03UkYEXlk2SVAVsYh1dgPwsbZPFfC-p8gbnDHcNG0HhueSC-ZOaiJ3vAtnFCkl0hLT1Mrpp1yeF_UvMwJJoV0/s1600/hair+oil.jpg" height="191" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have long, dry, curly, coloured hair, which is a bit of a tough call for any hair product, but this conditioner really brought my colour back to life, and the hair oil is light but effective, giving a lovely moisture boost and shine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>FACE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've got combination skin - oily t-zone and then dry cheeks with a lovely collection of black heads and the odd "proper" spot at er, certain times. And also wrinkles are gathering apace around my eyes *sob*. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway the </span><a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/skincare/skincare-products/cleansers-makeup-removers/soap-glorytm-peaches-and-cleantm" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Soap & Glory Peaches + Clean 3-in-1</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> face wash has worked wonders on my skin - really clearing my pores and making it smooth and clear. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsOwFXerqZ8TNFNRV_Cag4WF4DkDJ5fz_CdSk_EhACG4tie8iD8UJ8GuqW1k-1mw-hubqxikVD1DPiQk8Lro2dvtl8CcXvG3CcNUmOKnZ6l8l_2oBaoX546zKMjKgLafqEbjF3dkF5C0/s1600/peachesclean_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsOwFXerqZ8TNFNRV_Cag4WF4DkDJ5fz_CdSk_EhACG4tie8iD8UJ8GuqW1k-1mw-hubqxikVD1DPiQk8Lro2dvtl8CcXvG3CcNUmOKnZ6l8l_2oBaoX546zKMjKgLafqEbjF3dkF5C0/s1600/peachesclean_1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I only use it every 2-3 days, applying with fingers and rinsing off with warm water and a flannel. For extra moisture I do it before my shower and then apply a thin layer of basic Nivea cream and leave it to sink in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>FEET</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yeah, I have hobbit feet. Or I did until I discovered Soap & Glory's <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/bath-body-care/bath-products/exfoliators/the-scrub-of-your-life">The Scrub of Your Life</a> and also their <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/bath-body-care/body-products/hands-feet/heel-genius">Heel Genius foot cream</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeysuhoEG6XV2OZnq_L_56CWQVFHUoOPeb0B8PhRCNK599EW2FMq7v3oat92B-5JIZVFD_zTzIkxbguw4Y3w1ceu-2QlFzaUytNnc6z2Rt-HAf8OfwMH_G3yyPad1f_BYchKxkZo0FeFo/s1600/scrubofyourlife_nsg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeysuhoEG6XV2OZnq_L_56CWQVFHUoOPeb0B8PhRCNK599EW2FMq7v3oat92B-5JIZVFD_zTzIkxbguw4Y3w1ceu-2QlFzaUytNnc6z2Rt-HAf8OfwMH_G3yyPad1f_BYchKxkZo0FeFo/s1600/scrubofyourlife_nsg.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99gntc_JYG4eTCt6NYuXD3SNj_qAcEC5HLO2V-AQs9WMSNCIvF0GFMoTAqpaYNGYo_UprfAB9ZvThyphenhyphenyZ1c6QQvkri2WFPf5DMs1MJ91vudn6PpSJaZ9C8QWok6B93tKvAp7IZlYuYeyw/s1600/heelgenius_nsg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99gntc_JYG4eTCt6NYuXD3SNj_qAcEC5HLO2V-AQs9WMSNCIvF0GFMoTAqpaYNGYo_UprfAB9ZvThyphenhyphenyZ1c6QQvkri2WFPf5DMs1MJ91vudn6PpSJaZ9C8QWok6B93tKvAp7IZlYuYeyw/s1600/heelgenius_nsg.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a couple of weeks of regular use most of my disgusting dead skin is gone and my nails look really clear and strong too. Almost good enough for the holy grail of pedicures - a french manicure! Roll on summer!<br /><br /><b>EYES</b><br />I love eyeliner, pencil and liquid. The best pencil liner I've found is <a href="http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/eyes/soft-kohl-kajal-eye-liner-pencil">Rimmel's Soft Kohl Kajal eyeliner pencil</a> in black. It goes on nice and smoothly, easy to smudge and correct. I have super sensitive eyes and wear contacts and it's never irritated them. It's also easily removed with make up wipes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW74LN6EPiSltiAYAw1nDvDnhEyJKCppzJauTrHBrYbK_X9k1u9aAtvgkQiuHxcPfJ9pHcQr90poXEQ_0o6qKLRQ8EkRrGYSHZy-rvTLI7cQ-Haq3W9jbtswb5_7Dxkxu4Tj3jRRGT2jE/s1600/SoftKohlKajal_PRODUCT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW74LN6EPiSltiAYAw1nDvDnhEyJKCppzJauTrHBrYbK_X9k1u9aAtvgkQiuHxcPfJ9pHcQr90poXEQ_0o6qKLRQ8EkRrGYSHZy-rvTLI7cQ-Haq3W9jbtswb5_7Dxkxu4Tj3jRRGT2jE/s1600/SoftKohlKajal_PRODUCT.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYZCLnC04F64MLa9MIZmbO-ZlRvCAJmoJ69B_tXERjCXj_W4j_-xWuEIKENCuErkcW0kpEq6aZGxR3d-xxP-3HffGl3G4oI3fX6DS5tKvVGxG3T3zOec5PoQIerxnwVNfYbRWCu81pUA/s1600/ExaggerateLiquidEyeLiner_PRODUCTblackonly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYZCLnC04F64MLa9MIZmbO-ZlRvCAJmoJ69B_tXERjCXj_W4j_-xWuEIKENCuErkcW0kpEq6aZGxR3d-xxP-3HffGl3G4oI3fX6DS5tKvVGxG3T3zOec5PoQIerxnwVNfYbRWCu81pUA/s1600/ExaggerateLiquidEyeLiner_PRODUCTblackonly.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best liquid liner I've found is also Rimmel - <a href="http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/eyes/exaggerate-eye-liner">Exaggerate Eye Liner.</a> It's got a fibre tip like a felt pen, making it easy to be precise. I don't have the steadiest hand but I never make a mistake with this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>LIPS</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I *love* lip gloss and have owned hundreds over the years. I love a lovely shiny flesh coloured gloss and my current favourite is <a href="http://www.soapandglory.com/makeup/lips/lip-gloss/sexy-mother-trade-pucker-xl-extreme-plump">Soap & Glory's Sexy Motherpucker XL Extreme Plump</a>. (I'm not sponsored by Soap & Glory honest!).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKNX38JbeOCDBIIH_nr7xwyKD56PTn_QZacMIhPsJMlM1OdOG0g1P4R7TL_pX5u-Cg_wylUV8m2WTE7gyivtwV2Ujh5NaPuAoq1KqWItWNRApmfkbHgD-yjL-9Wa7He1x9lLGrb3XxtQ/s1600/smp-extremeplump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKNX38JbeOCDBIIH_nr7xwyKD56PTn_QZacMIhPsJMlM1OdOG0g1P4R7TL_pX5u-Cg_wylUV8m2WTE7gyivtwV2Ujh5NaPuAoq1KqWItWNRApmfkbHgD-yjL-9Wa7He1x9lLGrb3XxtQ/s1600/smp-extremeplump.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a lovely pinky-nude colour with menthol in the gloss to literally plump up your lips. It gives a bit of a tickly-tingle but it works and it's moisturising too.<br /><br /><b>NAILS</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't have much time to paint my nails, I want something that goes on quick, dries fast and doesn't chip. So the holy grail of nail polish. Well I've found it - <a href="http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/nails/salon-pro-nail-colour-with-lycra%C2%AE">Rimmel Salon Pro Nail colour with lycra.</a> It's got an extra wide brush which seems to make it much easier to coat my nail precisely and avoid mess. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyLg5cRkpIfptm7H9NVbxZDeGhDGDpy6WsE-r_HUixLJZeg8H6sU8uyks7_paOY7FfwB-wqUUCSFxgE18qge48NPyPKRtPHgObr3nn6Uaf6o06Syv2J07589nzMEhcQ4Yc-kHYj3bt6E/s1600/ultra_shine_top_coat_finishing_touch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyLg5cRkpIfptm7H9NVbxZDeGhDGDpy6WsE-r_HUixLJZeg8H6sU8uyks7_paOY7FfwB-wqUUCSFxgE18qge48NPyPKRtPHgObr3nn6Uaf6o06Syv2J07589nzMEhcQ4Yc-kHYj3bt6E/s1600/ultra_shine_top_coat_finishing_touch.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsMwQgVU6sLREqRSseOWgTko6ZA1GzzzVwzVc0dGguczIUaWizHhAZSUD6tRgs-iphBZwy1wMN71bdbt1hFqOM8Oj1DwCPKAi9BPxZyRgNt8tB7ft9ZWDglNwVU9OEQr2zNI507LPTyY/s1600/bewitch-salon_pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsMwQgVU6sLREqRSseOWgTko6ZA1GzzzVwzVc0dGguczIUaWizHhAZSUD6tRgs-iphBZwy1wMN71bdbt1hFqOM8Oj1DwCPKAi9BPxZyRgNt8tB7ft9ZWDglNwVU9OEQr2zNI507LPTyY/s1600/bewitch-salon_pro.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also rate their <a href="http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/nails/finishing-touch-top-coats">Finishing Touch Ultra Shine top coat.</a> Even with washing up, fumbling for keys in my bag and an overactive toddler this stuff can last up to a week but usually a good 5 days without chipping.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So that's it - my best products. What are yours? Share them in the comments or tweet @stupidgirl45 and let me know!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.youbabymemummy.com/" title="The List"><img alt="The List" src="http://youbabymemummy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Badge-150-x-150.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-2768721438567312322015-03-25T06:50:00.001+00:002015-03-25T06:50:18.116+00:00Wicked Wednesday - Juice?<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's Wednesday again, *already*, which means it's time for @brummymummyof2 's <a href="http://www.brummymummyof2.co.uk/2015/03/wicked-wednesdays-25th-march.html?m=1">Wicked Wednesday linky</a>....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I have some of your juice mama?"</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxc9WhZItGd6zr1ofDqhIkdLY_4u9eh86nOIgZiZJkiKqOOX4Gh5Q91ld0QQuHaaIGCqbAG5wDV2Bjs7FH9oOHjJ7pWsvMVvHBPHhH3IKJ20yDChd1UFGpNbqyIGKr0JWnK1AwLks2tg/s1600/2015-03-25+06.28.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxc9WhZItGd6zr1ofDqhIkdLY_4u9eh86nOIgZiZJkiKqOOX4Gh5Q91ld0QQuHaaIGCqbAG5wDV2Bjs7FH9oOHjJ7pWsvMVvHBPHhH3IKJ20yDChd1UFGpNbqyIGKr0JWnK1AwLks2tg/s1600/2015-03-25+06.28.13.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look at that cheeky glint in his eye, hmmmmmm. Needless to say, he finished my squash for me...</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.brummymummyof2.co.uk/" title="brummymummyof2"><img alt="brummymummyof2" src="http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/brummymummyof2/78c51e9b-422f-4127-b228-7047cff0d1af_zps15d29baa.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-73881872476195251732015-03-22T01:00:00.000+00:002015-03-22T08:18:16.213+00:00Sunday Kitchen Disco<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hi everyone and welcome to the very first #sundaykitchendisco linky!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Typically, starting with a bang, this week is more of a #sundaykitchenplaylist - because I do love a <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Top%2010%20List">good list,</a> especially a <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Music">music </a>related one! I thought I'd pull together a list of Toddler45's favourite songs to boogie, sing and cuddle to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For regular readers, in case you're wondering what's going on, a linky is an opportunity to share a post you've written with lots of other people on my blog. The theme is *music*. You can read all about the linky <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/p/sunday-kitchen-disco-linky.html">here</a> but the basic idea is:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add your post to the linky on the theme of *music*. So what your kids love to dance to, classes they attend, musical toys they love - anything.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tweet me your post link + include #sundaykitchendisco so I can RT!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Comment on other posts in the linky + make new friends :)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your post can be old or new, doesn't matter so feel free to dig out one from the archives!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The linky runs for a week from each Sunday</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fnally, don't forget to add the supercool #sundaykitchendisco badge to your post</span><br />
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<img alt="SundayKitchenDisco" src="http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/stupidgirl45/4ba96a8e-263d-4590-8dcb-d362b583c284_zps4wq6wfns.jpg" title="SundayKitchenDisco" /></div>
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<a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/p/sunday-kitchen-disco-linky.html" title="SundayKitchenDisco"><img src="http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo184/stupidgirl45/4ba96a8e-263d-4590-8dcb-d362b583c284_zps4wq6wfns.jpg" alt="SundayKitchenDisco" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Anyway, here's our list SundayFundayKitchenDisco playlist :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not yet the most overplayed song of 2015, Toddler45 loves this one and cutely refers to it as UpDown Funk. He does a pretty decent imitation of the dance too and had a little go at breakdancing also!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not sure if its the foxy ladies in this video that have Toddler45 mesmerized or the catchy tune. Either way I have been forced to watch this around 67,000 times in the last month alone "Bass Mummy? No tweble!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If liking cheesy music is in your genes, then Toddler45 gets this one from me. As a *bump* he used to go crazy to this one. And he still loves it :) "I feel the need, the need for speed!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Get Lucky - Daft Punk</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first song Toddler45 clapped to. I was a bit over-excited by this - I mean Daft Punk, how cool is my child (nowhere near as cool as his mother obviously...)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Happy - Pharrell Williams</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've yet to find a toddler who does not like running around my sitting room when this song is on. So up there on our regular playlist. And that's without the Despicable Me connections :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Fifi + The Flowertots Theme Tune</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: center;">I've deliberately not posted a video clip of this song. It will be an endless earworm for you. Toddler45 loves it and I have regular requests for "FEEFEE" - despite him never actually watching the damn show!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Hear You Me - Jimmy Eat World</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love this song and used to play it to my bump very regularly. As a newborn, it always calmed Toddler45 down. And even last week, he fell asleep on me listening to this song. So it's a bit special. Might make you cry though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again, a bump song, one that calmed my son down as a newborn and even now. It's such a lovely, cheery positive song. The lyrics are oddly reassuring!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>A Thousand Years - Christina Perri</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This song came out around the time Toddler45 was born and sappy though it is, the lyrics summed up a lot of how I felt about him, loving him for a thousand years etc. I remember spending many evenings, in my dimly lit bedroom, with this on the radio, watching him sleep or feeding him and feeling so blessed.</span><br />
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stupidgirl45http://www.blogger.com/profile/05142914477672254786noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863956527986501140.post-73164892136465287872015-03-20T20:10:00.000+00:002015-05-27T12:52:21.569+01:00Motherly Love - Not What I Was Expecting<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Being a parent: the only relationship in which you are always preparing for the person you love, to leave you - and that's an outcome to aim for! Truly the definition of if you love someone, set them free.</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I never understood the concept that love could be redemptive before I had my son. When the pregnancy test was positive, I remember feeling that I was no longer "alone" despite being in a relationship - that there were two of us now, but that we were in some way more equal. I felt like here was a person who could know me from the inside out and we could grow together to know each other. I never realised how much loving him would change me as a person.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wasn't prepared for the intensity of feeling I would have for my son when he was born. It didn't take much for that all consuming, instant feeling to kick in after birth. But it's not even so much love as </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a turbo-charged primal, feral intense feeling of protectiveness. When the midwife did the reflex test and made my son cry, I wanted to tear her arms off to get to him. Every time he cried, which face it, was quite a bit in the early days and months, I felt like my skin was being ripped off if I couldn't get to him quickly enough. I felt worn to a raw nerve a lot of the time, terrified that something could possibly happen to him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trusting people has always been hard for me, expecting them to leave or hurt me at any moment. But with a child, you have to earn their trust, you are entirely responsible for this tiny human being. I really struggled with this responsibility and the weight of emotion that sloshed around inside me - that messy postnatal soup of hormones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">None of the books or blogposts I read prepared me for how to deal with such a one sided relationship in which my anxiety seemed all-consuming at times. I felt - feel - so vulnerable in my love for my son. It is hard to have balance sometimes. In the early days, my fears for him were common - feeding, sleeping, pooping - was everything normal? Any ill health was paralysing though, and the thought of anything worse - SIDS was a constant terror. I still, every night, go and check on him before I go to sleep. A hand on the chest, reassuring up down movement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is hard to put into words how I feel or why it is so scary. Which is almost why this post needs to be written. Sometimes I feel so alone in my feelings - do other people also see the worst happening, before it even happens. The fall from the climbing frame, the too-thick bedding, the speeding car, the too-large grape. Everything seems risky sometimes. And then I have to be normal, act normal. If he does fall and hurt himself, if he is unwell, to remain calm, to have perspective. To not alarm him or transfer my fears onto him. To show balance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But even the smallest hurts to him, trivial as they are to an outsider, when I watch his little face crumple, just wring my heart to bits. And the knowledge that one day a cuddle will not fix his problems....saddens me deeply. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I think I need to be tougher, to feel less like a piece of my heart is walking around, playing on the swings, asking for a snack. But I think I need to make the most of this time because one day he will be too big to want <i>"kisses on my mouf mumma"</i> and wind his little arms around my neck. To have hurts healed with the power of a kiss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like the simplicity of a toddler's life, the soothing predictability and the time to explore the world within safe, familiar boundaries. To be able to return home to loving arms whenever things feel strange and receive an explanation. I love being able to provide this for him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is strange and hard to be vulnerable, to trust, to love openly and without constraints. But maybe this is what my son is here to teach me. To allow myself to do these things and take down my walls, so that I can enjoy life more. As much as it's scary, it's exhilarating also. I wouldn't change it, it just wasn't what I was expecting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you and goodnight,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stupidgirl has left the building. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS If you liked this post, you might like <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/shedding-your-skin-mummy-im-glad-youre.html">this</a> and <a href="http://generationwhynot-stupidgirl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/dear-toddler45-count-my-lucky-stars.html">this</a> too.</span></div>
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